Sound-amplifying apparatus



gfatented May 20,:1930

STATE-S -Pfj IQFFICE metre A. memes, or NEW You, 1v. Y., Assmn'onf r'o 1mm conrone'rron or ,mE:eIcA, or NEW YORK, 11. Y.,-A .eo1tronarronor: DELAWARE sounn-amnmvme im tates Application mea march 12,

M "invention relates 'generally .tolouda spea. ersiajndlis' articularlyapplicable where jtheam'p'li as a-"loudspe' L aware the ph graph andradio set arem same cabin, The .ob 'ect of my invention is to provide a new and improved tone arm to which a telephone receiver may be attached-above'the'topfboard o'fthe phonoph without removal of the phonograph soundhox and independently thereof. -1 Broadlys'tated,-th'e basic'idea of my 1nvent-ion eomprises'a phonograph tone arm provided 'with means for. supportin a telephone {receiver 'abovethe; top boar of the phonographin acoustic connectionwith the,

# tone' arm, without removal oi-thesound box andz tvithout interferingl with theimovemen-ts o" thejsound box'and t e tone arm when the 2 p onograph is pla g. When the telephone I receivelifis operating, the vibrations thereof are transmitted through the tone arm, mde- 'pendently o'ithesound box and w1thout removing the latter. Accordingly, when my invention is applied'in a combination radiophOIifigraPh' cabinet, the phonograph horn constitutes-the common sound amplifier for both-1 the phonograph mechanism and theradioset, and themachine is always ready to operate as a phonograph or as aloudspeaking radiotsetwithout disconnecting-the sound 1 box-or removing any other part of the phono- I graph mechanism. i In my new radio-phonograph'jltone arm, the telephone receiver is acoustically cdnne'cted'jto the tone arm by ,;means of atubula r extension on the tone arm,

this i'i extension "being arranged. to receive atelephone receiver without removal of the sound box andwithout interfering'with its 40'movements1into and'out of playing position. At the present time I prefer a construction in whieh- 'the tone arm has a pair of tubular extensions, or atubul ar extension comprising a pairloibranches'. On one of these extensions-or-j branchesismounted a sound box,

, andnth'e other extension is arranged to receive a telephone receiver without removing the sound box; The two extensions or branches are so constructed ,and' arranged that they it ductthe waves through the body .ment, or any other purpose.

.1924. flseriairro. 698,596,

of the tone arm. This arrangement is prefforming-the extensions-as a tubular fork or Y-connection at the outer end of the tone arm,

thus avoid" gs'harp turns in the sound passage le'adingi'iirom either branch of this connection to themain body of the tone arm.

box and independently thereof. In fact, tfi' telephone receiver may, if desired, be perma= Qerably, but not necessarily, carried outby prnQof a phonograph is nsed" ran a radio set, especially nentlyattached to its branch ortubular extension without interfering with the :operatipn of the sound box; If the telephone re;

ceiver is connected-to a radio set, the phonograph tone arm and horn may be used as a loudspeaker without the trouble of removing the sound box, as was necessary in prior constructio'ns. By connecting-the telephone receiver to the tone arm above the motorboard of'the phonograph the receiver is always readily accessible or adjustment, replace:

Mynew tone arm may also be provided with a manually adjustable valve for closing either branch when the other is in use. Such a valve, however, is not necessary where, the branches are arranged at such an angle branch through the tone arm with. practically no interference from the other branch even without a valve, as will be clear later on.

In order to explain my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a construction which I preferat the present time, it being understood that thisis merely an illustrative embodiment. In these' drawmgs- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a phonograph cabinet embodying my new tone arm, the telethat sound waves pass easily from either phone: receiver of a radio set being shown disconnected .from the tone arm;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the telephone receiver acoustically connected to the tone arm independently of the sound box and without removal thereof; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the tone arm, showing how the tubular'branches loo or extensions lead into the body of the tone arm, and also showing a valve for shutting off either branch; and N Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the valve in side elevation. a

The cabinet A, of suitable construction and design, contains phonographi'c reproducing mechanism, of which I need only show the turntable 1, and the tone arm T. The turntable is driven by a motor inthe cabinet, as will be understood, and the tone arm is acoustically connected with an amplifying horn roughly indicated by dotted lines 2, built into the cabinet in the usual way.

The tone arm T, preferably of the tapering type, is swivelled at its base 4 on the motor board 3, so as to swing horizontally as is usual in phonographs. The outer end of tone arm T terminates in a forked or Y-. shaped connect-ion comprising a pair oftubular branches 5 and 6. On branch 5 is swivelled a curved tube 7 (commonly called a goose-neck) carrying a sound box or reproducer-8 of any suitable construction. 7

Fig. 1 shows the sound box in playin posi tion, and in Fig. 2 the sound box is It rown back, resting against a stop 9 on the tone arm.

The outer end of the tubular branch or ex tension 6 is normally closed by a cap 10, which may be held in place in any suitable way, as by friction or screw-threads, or otherwise. The branch 6 is adapted to receive a telephone receiver R for amplifying the sound vibrations thereof through the tone arm and horn of the phonograph. We may suppose, for illustration, that the telephone receiver R is connected to a radio set in the cabinet-by means of wires 11 passing through a hole-12 in the motor board 3. It will not be necessary to show or describe any structural details of receiver B, because there are many kinds of such receivers in the market. To connect the telephone receiver R to the tone arm T, it is only necessary to-remove cap 10 from branch 6 and slip the receiver on to the outer openend of this branch tube. That is all there is to it; no removal of the sound box, and no mutilation or damaging of any part of the phonograph. In fact, the telephone receiver may be left permanently attached to branch tube 6 without interfering withthe operation of the sound box or with the horizontal movements of the tone arm across the record. It will be noticed that the weight of the telephone receiver is not communicated to the sound box. The phonograph is, therefore, always in playing condition. When in the claims I speak of the sound box being permanently attached to the tone arm, I do not mean that the sound box is not removable from the arm, as for repair or replacement,

' but I simply mean that it need not be taken off in connecting and operating the telephone receiver.

As seen from Fig. 3, the branches 5 and 6 are preferably so arranged that they form unbroken continuations of the main body of the tone arm, being only slightly curved with respect thereto. Differently stated, the extension tube 6 for the telephone receiver preferably projects at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the tone arm, so that the junction of these two parts is formedwithout a sudden angular turning, which might interfere with the proper passage of sound. As a'result, sound waves coming through either branch issue easily (that is, without undue break) into the body of the tone arm, with no appreciable loss or interference on account of the uncovered inner opening of the other branch. The forked or V-shaped extension 5-6 may be formed integral with the main body of the tone arm, or it may be cast separately and attached to the tone arm in any practical way.

If desired, a suitable valve may be provided to close the inner end of either branch tube when the other is in use. For this purpose, I have shown a valve 13 in the form of a properly shaped vane fixed on a pivot 14 mounted at the junction point of the branch tubes.

A finger piece or handle 15, preferably pointing in the same direction asvalve 13, is attached to or-formed on rod'l t, to throw the valve into either closing position. For instance, in Fig. 3, valve 13 is shown in fulllined position to close the inner end of branch 5, and in dotted lines 13 to close the branch 6. The shape of valve 13 is such that it forms a tight closure in either position and remains firmly. in adjusted position by friction or otherwise. Valve 13 may consist of a metal plate edged with rubber, leather, or the like. The precise structure of this valve is immaterial, as long as it properly fulfills its function. The operator can always tell the position of the valve by the position of finger piece 15, since the two are always in alignment. Thus, in Fig. 1, finger piece 15 shows that branch 6 is closed at the inner end, and in Fig. 2 the position of finger piece 15 indicates that branch 5 is closed. That part 15 thus performs the double function of an operating lever for the valve 13 and a visual indicator for the position of the valve. As previously stated, valve 13 is not necessary in the broader aspect of my invention, although --it may be employed to advantage.

telephone receiver R forms part of the regular cabinet equipment and, when not in use, may rest on the motor board, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be left attached to the branch 6 witgout interfering with the phonograph as suc It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided simple means for attaching a telephone receiver to a phonograph tone arm independently of the sound box and Without removal thereof. I do not herein claim this idea bn'iadly, because that is covered in my copending application, Serial Number 639,240, filed May 16, 1923, as a division of my. prior application Serial Number 562,278, filed May 20, 1922. The present case, excepting valve 13, contains matter in my aforesaid pending applications and is a continuation in part thereof. I

Although I have herein shown and described a specific construction of tone arm, I want it understood that Ihave done so merely to explain my invention by means of an illustrativeembodiment, and not by Way of restriction or limitation. Manifestly, the fundamental idea of myinvention may be mechanically carried out. in various other forms without departing from the scope of.

the invention as defined in the appended claims. 1

I claim as my invention: 1. In a phonograph having a top board, a tone arm extending above saidboard and having a sound box permanently mounted there- 'on, a rigid branch tube projecting laterally 30 from said tone arm at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said arm, so that sound 7 waves pass easily from .said branch tubeinto the tone arm, said branch tube-being arranged entirely above said board, and a telephone receiver adapted to be connected to the free end ofsaid branch tube without removal of the sound box and without interfering withv the movements of the sound box into and-- out of operative position. 3 2." In a phonograph having a top board, atone arm extending above said board and terminating at its outer end in a rigid forked Y extension consisting of a pair of branch tubes. a sound box permanently mounted on one of saidbraneh tubes, both of said branch tubes I being arranged entirely above said board, and a telephone receiver adapted to be mounted on the other branchtube for acoustic connection with the tone arm independently of the sound box and withoutremoval thereof. 3. Aphonograph tone arm'terminating at its outer end in acpair of branchtubes, a sound box permanently mounted on one of said tubes, a -telephone receiver mounted on the other tube for acoustic connection with the tone arm independently of the sound box and Without fre'mo'val thereof, a swinging vane'mounted at the junction point of said branch tubes and extending toward the main body of the tone arm for closing the inner eating its position.

end of either tube, and a finger piece for operating said vane and simultaneously indisound box permanently mounted on one of said tubes, a telephone receiver mounted on the other tube for acoustic connection with the tone arm independently of the sound box and Without removal thereof, asr-Jinging vane mounted at the junction point of said branch tubes and extending toward themain body of the lone arm for closing the inner end of eithertube. and a hand lever connected to the axis of said 'vane for operating the same, said lever extending in fixed alignment with the vane for visually indicating the position thereof.

5. In. a phonograph having a top board, a tone arm pivotally mounted over said board and provided with a sound box, and a rigid tubular extension at or near the outer end of tl e tone arm for receiving a telephone receiver to connect the same acoustically with the tone arm Without removal of the sound box, said extension terminating above said board and being so arranged that the telephone receiver mounted thereon does notinterfere With the proper operation of the sound box and the swinging movements of the tone arm.

6. In a phonograph having a top board, a tone arm having a sound box permanently, mounted thereon, a rigid branch tube projecting. laterally from said tone arm at such an angle to the longitudinal axis of said arm that sound waves pass easily from said branch tube into the tone arm, said branch tube being arranged entirely above said board, and a telephone receiver supported on the free end of saidbranch tube without interfering with the phonographic operation of the sound'box. I

7. In a phonograph having a top board, a horizontally swinging tone arm provided with a swivelled sound box, a rigid tube projecting from said tone arm in such a direction that sound waves pass easily from the tube into the tone arm, said tube terminating above said board, and a telephone receiver supported on the free end of said tube withno out interfering with the'movements of the tone arm and the sound box.

' ADOLPH A. THOMAS. 

